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The Night Ship
Based on a real-life event, an epic historical novel from the award-winning author of Things in Jars that illuminates the lives of two characters: a girl shipwrecked on an island off Western Australia and, three hundred years later, a boy finding a home with his grandfather on the very same island.
1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.
1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…
With her trademark “thrilling, mysterious, twisted, but more than anything, beautifully written” (Graham Norton, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Jess Kidd weaves a unputdownable and charming tale of friendship and sacrifice, brutality and forgiveness.
1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.
1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…
With her trademark “thrilling, mysterious, twisted, but more than anything, beautifully written” (Graham Norton, New York Times bestselling author) storytelling, Jess Kidd weaves a unputdownable and charming tale of friendship and sacrifice, brutality and forgiveness.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2022
1079 people are currently reading
37913 people want to read
About the author
Jess Kidd
19 books2,474 followersJess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice. Her debut, Himself, was shortlisted for the Irish Book Awards in 2016. She won the Costa Short Story Award the same year. Her second novel, The Hoarder, published as Mr. Flood's Last Resort in the U.S. and Canada was shortlisted for the Kerry Group Irish Novel of the Year 2019. Both books were BBC Radio 2 Book Club Picks. Her latest book, the Victorian detective tale Things in Jars, has been released to critical acclaim. Jess’s work has been described as ‘Gabriel García Márquez meets The Pogues.’
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,116 reviews
March 31, 2025
The value of a moment becomes clear when you're not promised another.
The Night Ship knocked me upside down and backwards. I was not prepared for what was tucked expertly between these pages. A 5-Star banner has not often been flown high for me this year. And here's the blatant truth: This one is gonna stay with you. Guaranteed.
Jess Kidd's Things in Jars (2020) grabbed me as well. I was taken with it. But The Night Ship shot for all the stars in its telling. Kidd creates a double-edged sword based on an actual Dutch shipwreck along Beacon Island near Western Australia in 1629. We are welcomed aboard by nine year old Mayken and her nursemaid, Imke. Mayken's mother died recently and she's being taken to the estate of her merchant father. The ship is filled with hundreds of passengers, sailors, crew, and soldiers that will add to its layer upon layer of suspense.
What transpires aboard the Batavia will definitely hold you rigid to this storyline. Mayken is a wild spirit of a child who lives in a fantastical world of her own making. She adores folklore and lives for twisty legends that put both joy and fear into her. Mayken convinces Jan Pelgrom, a steward, to allow her to dress as a kitchen boy and visit the Below World of the ship so different from her Above World. It is here that Mayken will be wrapped in the stories of the bunyip who appear to be little eels. But mind you, they are monsters of the highest level causing bad luck and tragedies.
Jess Kidd flips the storyline to 1989 on Beacon Island where nine year old Gil Hurley will be placed in the home of his grandfather, Joss, after the death of his mother. The island holds the secrets of this shipwreck as well as the shady lives of its inhabitants. There are feuds brewing within families over land and possessions. And young Gil will be encouraged to "just fit in" when, in reality, he possesses a coat of many colors......unacceptance, misjudgments, and outward cruelties will follow his every step.
The Night Ship will visit relationships based on social class, occupation, gender, age, and physical forebearance. Brutalities will exist from the past that bleed into the present. And at the core is the impact of human nature......survival of the fittest. Kidd gives us a wide open view of the aftermath of the shipwreck and the fate of its survivors on this island. I was totally unaware. It is jaw-dropping. The Night Ship is a hard look at what people will do when they forget that they are people. Raw, revealing, and utterly fascinating. I recommend this for those who want a literary step above.....it'll take you there.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented Jess Kidd for the opportunity.
The Night Ship knocked me upside down and backwards. I was not prepared for what was tucked expertly between these pages. A 5-Star banner has not often been flown high for me this year. And here's the blatant truth: This one is gonna stay with you. Guaranteed.
Jess Kidd's Things in Jars (2020) grabbed me as well. I was taken with it. But The Night Ship shot for all the stars in its telling. Kidd creates a double-edged sword based on an actual Dutch shipwreck along Beacon Island near Western Australia in 1629. We are welcomed aboard by nine year old Mayken and her nursemaid, Imke. Mayken's mother died recently and she's being taken to the estate of her merchant father. The ship is filled with hundreds of passengers, sailors, crew, and soldiers that will add to its layer upon layer of suspense.
What transpires aboard the Batavia will definitely hold you rigid to this storyline. Mayken is a wild spirit of a child who lives in a fantastical world of her own making. She adores folklore and lives for twisty legends that put both joy and fear into her. Mayken convinces Jan Pelgrom, a steward, to allow her to dress as a kitchen boy and visit the Below World of the ship so different from her Above World. It is here that Mayken will be wrapped in the stories of the bunyip who appear to be little eels. But mind you, they are monsters of the highest level causing bad luck and tragedies.
Jess Kidd flips the storyline to 1989 on Beacon Island where nine year old Gil Hurley will be placed in the home of his grandfather, Joss, after the death of his mother. The island holds the secrets of this shipwreck as well as the shady lives of its inhabitants. There are feuds brewing within families over land and possessions. And young Gil will be encouraged to "just fit in" when, in reality, he possesses a coat of many colors......unacceptance, misjudgments, and outward cruelties will follow his every step.
The Night Ship will visit relationships based on social class, occupation, gender, age, and physical forebearance. Brutalities will exist from the past that bleed into the present. And at the core is the impact of human nature......survival of the fittest. Kidd gives us a wide open view of the aftermath of the shipwreck and the fate of its survivors on this island. I was totally unaware. It is jaw-dropping. The Night Ship is a hard look at what people will do when they forget that they are people. Raw, revealing, and utterly fascinating. I recommend this for those who want a literary step above.....it'll take you there.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Simon & Schuster and to the talented Jess Kidd for the opportunity.
December 4, 2022
Heartbreaking
4.5 stars
The Night Ship is a novel about two children whose stories intersect 300 years apart.
1629: 9-year-old Mayken, a dutch girl from an affluent family, boards the Batavia for a months-long journey to her new home in the Dutch East Indies. What she finds aboard is a world of wonder, not only begging for exploration but also a world that puts her life in danger.
1989: 9-year-old Gil is sent to live with his grandfather in Beacon island, Australia, after suffering the loss of his mother. The island is the site near the Batavia shipwreck, where the survivors fought for their lives. Mayken is thought to haunt the island.
Both characters are riveting. Mayken is impish and fascinated with the world of the boat and the characters who inhabit it. Gil is awkward, lonely, a little weird, and terrified of the world. His only friend is a 900-year-old tortoise named Enkidu.
Casts of eccentric characters inhabit both worlds.
Both stories are linked through dutch and Australian folklore, although there are a lot of additional commonalities between the two children as they are bound by loss, grief, and trauma.
This was a fascinating read for many reasons. Surprisingly, this novel prompted me to read more about the shipwreck of the Batavia and the horrors the survivors faced.
The Night Ship is a slow-paced, character-driven story. I became attached to Mayken and Gil, and it was hard to say goodbye to their characters. This is not a novel that one can casually flip the pages while reading; it is a heavy read that evokes dread, tension, fear, and heartbreak.
A special shout out to the sour-faced tortoise Enkidu, who always made me smile even while reading some of the horrors that Mayken and Gil had to cope with!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
4.5 stars
The Night Ship is a novel about two children whose stories intersect 300 years apart.
1629: 9-year-old Mayken, a dutch girl from an affluent family, boards the Batavia for a months-long journey to her new home in the Dutch East Indies. What she finds aboard is a world of wonder, not only begging for exploration but also a world that puts her life in danger.
1989: 9-year-old Gil is sent to live with his grandfather in Beacon island, Australia, after suffering the loss of his mother. The island is the site near the Batavia shipwreck, where the survivors fought for their lives. Mayken is thought to haunt the island.
Both characters are riveting. Mayken is impish and fascinated with the world of the boat and the characters who inhabit it. Gil is awkward, lonely, a little weird, and terrified of the world. His only friend is a 900-year-old tortoise named Enkidu.
Casts of eccentric characters inhabit both worlds.
Both stories are linked through dutch and Australian folklore, although there are a lot of additional commonalities between the two children as they are bound by loss, grief, and trauma.
This was a fascinating read for many reasons. Surprisingly, this novel prompted me to read more about the shipwreck of the Batavia and the horrors the survivors faced.
The Night Ship is a slow-paced, character-driven story. I became attached to Mayken and Gil, and it was hard to say goodbye to their characters. This is not a novel that one can casually flip the pages while reading; it is a heavy read that evokes dread, tension, fear, and heartbreak.
A special shout out to the sour-faced tortoise Enkidu, who always made me smile even while reading some of the horrors that Mayken and Gil had to cope with!
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Atria Books in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2023
“Come.” John Pinten turns and puts his palm against the hull. “Do as I do.”--------------------------------------
Mayken crawls forward and puts her palm next to his, flat against the planks. She sees how much smaller and cleaner her hand is. Too clean for a cabin boy. But John Pinten doesn’t seem to notice.
“She’s all that lies between us and the deep dark fathoms of the sea.” John Pinten’s voice grows quiet, grave. “Can you feel the ocean pulling at the nail heads, pressing against the planks, prizing the caulking? The water wants in.”
Old superstitions are rife now. The sailors lead the way. Words must be chanted over knots. Messmates must be served in a particular order. A change of wind direction must be greeted. Portents are looked for and translated. The cut of the wake noted. The shape of clouds debated...A lamp taken down into the hold will now burn green. Monstrous births plague the onboard animals. Their issue is hastily thrown overboard to prevent alarm. Eyeless lambs. Mouthless piglets. A litter of rabbits joined together, a mass of heads and limbs. The gardener harvests fork-tailed carrots from his boxed plot outside the hen coop.1628 - Mayken van der Heuvel heads out on a long, exciting, but very dangerous adventure. She is setting sail on the grandest ship of the era, the Batavia, to a place with the same name, the capital of the Dutch East Indies. Well, in 1628, anyway. Today, we know it as Jakarta, Indonesia. Her journey is not being undertaken by choice, though. Mayken’s mother died giving birth to a child not her husband’s. The girl is being sent to her father, accompanied by a nursemaid, the kindly, but very superstitious, Imke. Mayken is nine years old.
“It’s the way of long journeys,” says Creesje. “They alter what people think and see.”
There are many layers to this child: undergarments, middle garments, and top garments. Mayken is made of pale skin and small white teeth and fine fair hair and linen and lace and wool and leather. There are treasures sewn into the seams of her clothing, small and valuable, like her.We follow Mayken’s adventures on this months-long journey across the world. But we know from the beginning that the ship will not complete its trip.
Mayken has a father she’s never met. Her father is a merchant who lives in a distant land where the midday sun is fierce enough to melt a Dutch child.
1989 - A nine-year-old boy has just endured a journey of his own.
Gil is made of pale skin and red hair and thrifted clothes. His shoes, worn down on the outsides, lend an awkward camber to his walk. Old ladies like him, they think he’s old-fashioned. Truck drivers like him because he takes an interest in their rigs. Everyone else finds him weird.He never knew his father, and Mom kept them on the move all of his brief life, until her death. Gil has been sent to live with his crusty fisherman grandfather, Joss. To the place off the west coast of Australia where the off-course Batavia met its inglorious end. Researchers have been retrieving bits of the ship and its contents. The island is said to be haunted by the spirit of a young girl, Little May.
Jess Kidd - image from The Bookseller - by Cordula Tremi
Kidd learned about the Batavia while casting about for a subject for her next novel. I will leave you to explore the real-life story here in Wikipedia and in the Sea Museum site.
Mayken and Gil’s stories are told in alternating chapters. The duration of their experiences, however, is not the same. Mayken’s time on the Batavia is considerably longer than Gil’s, on what is now Beacon Island. Kidd handles this disparity well, so that difference is not obvious.
Mayken is a particularly curious and adventurous little girl, exploring and experiencing the ship with a range of partners, despite her caretakers preferring for her to be a demure, proper young lady. She has a talent for gaining trust and affection from those around her, both children and adults. It comes in handy. Being a child, she carries some odd notions with her, and is susceptible to things that challenge credulity. She is convinced that there is a mythical beast in the deep hold of the ship. (The eel creature was an ancient monster and foe of all humankind. Its name was Bullebak.) Is the evidence she spies of its existence sharp perception or childish imagination? Being the child of a wealthy household, she gains a lot more latitude from those in charge than a street urchin might, which allows her to get away with slipping away from the “Above World” of the deck and passengers to the “Below World” where the crew lives and works.
The Batavia replica was constructed between 1985 and 1995 at the Bataviawerf (Batavia shipyard) in Lelystad, The Netherlands. Image: Malis via Wiki Commons - image and text from Sea Museum
Gil is a lonely boy, who has seen little stability in his life, and more than his share of horror. Grandpa Joss is less than welcoming, (Gil’s mother had not exactly been a model daughter.) wants him to become a fisherman like him, an occupation to which Gil is ill-suited and strongly opposed. He finds a friend or two. Silvia, the young wife of an older fisherman (and hated rival to his grandfather) takes him under her wing. Dutch, an older deckhand, takes an interest in him as well. In addition, Gil acquires a companion of a different sort, Enkidu, a tortoise named for a bff from ancient literature.
There are challenges to survival for both Mayken and Gil, not just their initial de-parenting trauma and grief. In fact there is enough mirroring of their experiences for a carnival fun house. Both are, effectively, orphaned only children, with dead mothers and absent fathers, sent to live with relations after the death of their mothers. Both explore strange new places, with the assistance of those more familiar. Both have a belief in the reality of supposedly mythical beings, finding it easier to seek explanations for the world in cultural fantasies than in the awfulness of the humans around them. (The shadow-monster darkens and becomes solid. It is terrible. Slime slicks and drips over ancient barnacled scales. Eyes, luminous and bulging. Gills rattling venomously. A great, festering eel-king.) It is called a Bunyip.
Both are outsiders, in peril from people in their community. There is plenty more. But both come into possession of a stone with a hole in it, that is supposed to have special properties, a witch-stone, or hag-stone. The very same one. It is a link across three hundred sixty years, connecting their parallel experiences. As children, neither has control over much of anything, so they are both at the mercy of the adults around them, not all of whom are benign. With limited immediate familial resources, they are trying to create a kind of family for themselves.
This engraving depicts three scenes associated with the loss of the Dutch ship Batavia in 1629. Top: Batavia approaches the Houtman Abrolhos Islands off Western Australia at night. Lower right: the vessel aground on a reef with the crew in boats attempting to refloat it. Lower left: the state of the Batavia the next day, and the passengers and crew abandoning the ship. ANMM Collection 00004993
One of the wonderful things about this novel is the view we get of a lengthy ocean voyage in the 17th century.
The physical research helped. “Bumping my head about 400 times as I walked around the ‘Batavia’ replica, it really helped to get a physical sense of the life. The same with the island, walking around and seeing the barrenness and feeling the elements.” - from The Bookseller interviewThe demise of the ship is terrifying, but not so much as the demise of civilization that follows for the survivors. Existential threats abound in 1989 as well, for Gil and others.
There are many compelling secondary characters. Several on the ship stand out, a soldier, John Pinten, the ship’s doctor, Aris Jansz, Holdfast, a denizen of the rigging, who snatches Mayken up. Imke the nursemaid is a fun addition, and Creesje, who looks to help Mayken going forward, is a warm, nurturing presence. Those surrounding Gil are likewise interesting. Gil’s colorful grandfather, Joss, goes through some changes. Dutch is a warm force, as is a researcher, on the island looking into the wreck.
While Mayken and Gil are entirely fictional, Kidd has populated her story with many of the actual people who were on the Batavia. The presence of those historical personages gives the events that take place in the novel even greater heft. The kids are very nicely drawn, and will engage your interest and sympathy.
Wallabi Island (left), Beacon Island (centre) and Morning Reef (right). Image: Hesperian with NASA satellite photos via Wiki Commons. - image and text from Sea Museum
Tension ratchets up for both Mayken and Gil. While we know the fate of the Batavia, we do not know the fate of all those she carried.
Unlike in her previous book, Things in Jars, which dealt very considerably with things fantastical, the unreality of the creatures May and Gil perceive is much more subtle. The creatures both claim to be real may or may not be. But both creatures serve admirably as metaphors for the awfulness of humanity.
While this may not be the best possible choice for reading on a ship-based vacation, it is a moving and fascinating read for landlubbers. Kidd writes with the touch of the poet, adorning her compelling, moving story with sparkling descriptive finery, while offering us a child’s-eye view of the most remarkable ship of its time, and telling a tale of doom. Both Gil’s and Mayken’s stories are strong enough masts to have sailed alone, but together they make a weatherly craft and catch a strong wind, easily speeding past potential story-telling shoals.
“How do you describe dread, Gil? That’s what the bunyip is: an attempt to give fear a shape.”
Gil thinks on this.
“Everyone’s fear looks different,” Birgit continues. “So everyone’s creature looks different. But they all eat crayfish, women, and children. That seems to be universal.”
“They’re just warnings for kids. Not to play near water or talk to strangers.”
Review first posted – December 16, 2022
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - October 18, 2022
----------Trade paperback - August 8, 2023
I received an ARE of The Night Ship from Atria in return for a fair review, and a small, ancient piece of (maybe) bone, recently dug up in our back yard. Thanks, folks.
This review has been cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to Kidd’s personal, Twitter, Goodreads, Instagram and FB pages
Interviews
-----The Bookseller - Jess Kidd discusses her latest novel, new perspectives and maritime disasters by Alice O’Keefe
-----BNBook Club Jess Kidd discusses SCATTERED SHOWERS with Miwa Messer and Shannon DeVito - video – 41:28 – forget the title – they talk about The Night Ship
My review of an earlier book by Kidd
-----Things in Jars
Items of Interest
-----Wiki on The Batavia
-----Sea Museum - The Batavia
-----Wiki on Beacon Island
-----The Wayback Machine - Batavia’s Graveyard
-----Western Australian Museum - Batavia's History
-----Dutch Folklore Wikia - Bullebak
-----American Museum of Natural History - The Bunyip
-----Wiki on Bunyip
-----Atria Books - This page includes an excerpt, a reader’s club guide, and an interview with Kidd.
August 11, 2025
"The greatest disgrace of humankind is the failure of the strong to protect the weak. We don't need monsters. We are the monsters."
—Jess Kidd, The Night Ship
Ahoy there, me hearties! Arrr!
Any landlubber who knows me knows that this swashbuckler is a huge fan of Jess Kidd's figurative writing and that I have lovingly devoured each of her previous delights. So, with my mainsail hoisted, I set off for the Dutch East Indies with a sextant in one hand and Cap'n Kidd's book in the other.
Inspired by real events (the sinking of a Dutch merchant ship, The Batavia off the coast of Australia in 1628), the story unfolded slowly … knowingly … teasingly … deliciously. "Someone polish my barnacles!" I shouted. "This has five stars written all over it!"
The story is told across two timelines: In 1628, Mayken, a nonconformist girl, finds herself on a ship where dark folklore and omens gather like clouds. In 1989, Gil, a nonconformist youngster, finds himself on a haunted fishermen's island off the coast of Australia.
To begin with, this was a "shiver me timbers and bite your fingers off" kind of book. It was foreshadowed and back-shadowed up to its briny armpits, and I was loving every bit of it! With echoes of Moby Dick, Mutiny on the Bounty and The Creature from the Black Lagoon thrown in for good measure, I was all hands on deck, keen to see which unutterable curiosities lay beyond the horizon.
Alas, despite its resplendent start, the book ran aground towards the end. The promise of unimaginable wonders and a nightmarish sea monster never materialised and the story just fizzled out like a dampsquid squib. I envisaged a gargantuan sea monster darkening the entire horizon and spreading across the sky; I imagined the carved figureheads on the ship's bow coming to life. I wanted Kidd to go large on my helping of magical realism, but it never materialised.
Because I loved where it was going before everything capsized into dullness, and because I'm a fan of Jess Kidd's poetic prose, I'm still going to award it four stars.
But her debut novel, Himself, is far, far better, in my humble opinion.
My nautical star-rating system.
***** "Ship-shape and Bristol fashion."
**** "Land ahoy!"
*** "Aye, aye, Cap'n!"
** "Walk the plank, you scurvy dog!"
* "Abandon ship!"
—Jess Kidd, The Night Ship
Ahoy there, me hearties! Arrr!
Any landlubber who knows me knows that this swashbuckler is a huge fan of Jess Kidd's figurative writing and that I have lovingly devoured each of her previous delights. So, with my mainsail hoisted, I set off for the Dutch East Indies with a sextant in one hand and Cap'n Kidd's book in the other.
Inspired by real events (the sinking of a Dutch merchant ship, The Batavia off the coast of Australia in 1628), the story unfolded slowly … knowingly … teasingly … deliciously. "Someone polish my barnacles!" I shouted. "This has five stars written all over it!"
The story is told across two timelines: In 1628, Mayken, a nonconformist girl, finds herself on a ship where dark folklore and omens gather like clouds. In 1989, Gil, a nonconformist youngster, finds himself on a haunted fishermen's island off the coast of Australia.
To begin with, this was a "shiver me timbers and bite your fingers off" kind of book. It was foreshadowed and back-shadowed up to its briny armpits, and I was loving every bit of it! With echoes of Moby Dick, Mutiny on the Bounty and The Creature from the Black Lagoon thrown in for good measure, I was all hands on deck, keen to see which unutterable curiosities lay beyond the horizon.
Alas, despite its resplendent start, the book ran aground towards the end. The promise of unimaginable wonders and a nightmarish sea monster never materialised and the story just fizzled out like a damp
Because I loved where it was going before everything capsized into dullness, and because I'm a fan of Jess Kidd's poetic prose, I'm still going to award it four stars.
But her debut novel, Himself, is far, far better, in my humble opinion.
My nautical star-rating system.
***** "Ship-shape and Bristol fashion."
**** "Land ahoy!"
*** "Aye, aye, Cap'n!"
** "Walk the plank, you scurvy dog!"
* "Abandon ship!"
November 23, 2021
Haunting.
June 21, 2022
Jess Kidd's latest offering has her trademark supernatural elements, and features an atmospheric storyline that shifts between 2 children, both 9 years old, living centuries apart and have just lost their mothers. It is 1628, Mayken is travelling with her beloved nursemaid, Imke, with her gift of prophecy, on the Batavia, the eponymous Night Ship, planning to join her father, who she doesn't know. The Batavia is sailing under upper merchant, Francisco Pelsaert, skipper Ariaen Jacobsz, both men hate each other, and the sly under merchant Jeronimus Cornelisz, it is an East India Company ship carrying a cargo richer than the treasuries of many kingdoms. In 1989, the lonely and reluctant Gil arrives on the sparsely populated Australian Beacon Island to live with his fisherman grandfather, Joss Hurley, a man shunned by other islanders, with a long running feud with the powerful Zanetti family.
Mayken is a feral, joyous, curious and mischievous child, diligently practicing her spitting, she easily befriends others, fellow travellers, sailors, soldiers and crew members, but she is confined to the upper world and she wants to see the below world, and in this she is aided by Pelsaert's steward, Jan Pelgrom. She dresses in filthy attire as she takes on the persona of Obbe, the cabin boy, it is here she meets John Pinten, learns of the ancient eel-like monster of Bullebak, a monster she becomes determined to capture as Imke's health deteriorates. As conditions worsen with the sweltering heat, cruelty, abuse, rats, disease, stink, and deaths, a noxious nightmare cloud of festering intrigues, hate, horror and mutiny develops. Gil accompanies Joss on his boat, the Ramona, but he has no desire to be a fisherman. He does not want to talk about what happened with his mother, as he gets acquainted with Silvia Zanetti, married to Frank, with her menacing, and violent stepson, Roper. Gil finds comfort in his tortoise, reads of the sunken wreck Batavia, learns of the ghost girl, Little May, for whom offerings are left on the Raggedy Tree, and the monster that is Bunyip.
There are numerous parallels between the lives of Mayken and Gil, viewed as all too weird, beyond their monsters, there is cruelty, madness, heartbreak and horror in a narrative that underlines that actual monsters are too often to be found amongst the living. Kidd writes a spellbinding novel that beautifully weaves in the connections forged across centuries between Gil and the bone whistle playing Mayken. This is not the first novel that I have read that has been inspired by the Batavia, the most recent written by David Mark. This is not a perfect read, there are occasional issues of pacing and Kidd uses some adjectives like wolfish a little too often, but otherwise this a mesmerising piece of dark historical fiction that many fans of the author will love, along with readers new to the author. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Mayken is a feral, joyous, curious and mischievous child, diligently practicing her spitting, she easily befriends others, fellow travellers, sailors, soldiers and crew members, but she is confined to the upper world and she wants to see the below world, and in this she is aided by Pelsaert's steward, Jan Pelgrom. She dresses in filthy attire as she takes on the persona of Obbe, the cabin boy, it is here she meets John Pinten, learns of the ancient eel-like monster of Bullebak, a monster she becomes determined to capture as Imke's health deteriorates. As conditions worsen with the sweltering heat, cruelty, abuse, rats, disease, stink, and deaths, a noxious nightmare cloud of festering intrigues, hate, horror and mutiny develops. Gil accompanies Joss on his boat, the Ramona, but he has no desire to be a fisherman. He does not want to talk about what happened with his mother, as he gets acquainted with Silvia Zanetti, married to Frank, with her menacing, and violent stepson, Roper. Gil finds comfort in his tortoise, reads of the sunken wreck Batavia, learns of the ghost girl, Little May, for whom offerings are left on the Raggedy Tree, and the monster that is Bunyip.
There are numerous parallels between the lives of Mayken and Gil, viewed as all too weird, beyond their monsters, there is cruelty, madness, heartbreak and horror in a narrative that underlines that actual monsters are too often to be found amongst the living. Kidd writes a spellbinding novel that beautifully weaves in the connections forged across centuries between Gil and the bone whistle playing Mayken. This is not the first novel that I have read that has been inspired by the Batavia, the most recent written by David Mark. This is not a perfect read, there are occasional issues of pacing and Kidd uses some adjectives like wolfish a little too often, but otherwise this a mesmerising piece of dark historical fiction that many fans of the author will love, along with readers new to the author. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
August 22, 2022
"The Night Ship" by Jess Kidd is a book with a gorgeous cover and a beautifully written story inside!
In 1629, nine-year-old Mayken, now motherless, is traveling via the ship Batavia's maiden voyage, to live with the wealthy father she has never met. She is joined on her journey by her nursemaid, Imke, to whom she is deeply attached.
At sea, Imke mysteriously falls gravely ill and Mayken is convinced there is a mythical sea-monster on board who is responsible. She ventures high and low through the ship in her search to trap the villainous, Bullebak.
In 1989, nine-year-old Gil, after the death of his mother, is sent to live with his fisherman grandfather on an island off the coast of Western Australia. Soon after his arrival, he learns of the notorious shipwreck of the Batavia that happened centuries ago on the coral reefs surrounding the island.
Both Mayken and Gil find that cruelty, nightmares, horror and monsters can surface anywhere, anytime. There is unrest on the ship Mayken travels on and unrest on the island where Gil now lives...
Historical Fiction with touches of Magical Realism is the spark that led to requesting this ARC and my first experience reading one of Jess Kidd's books. If I were to briefly describe this story, I would say it is 'very full'. Full of history and imagination, survival and tragedy, life and death, darkness and light, and everything in-between.
I was moved by these parallel stories, told in two alternating timelines three-hundred years apart, of two nine-year-old main characters, each newly motherless, painfully curious, and overtly mischievous in their current surroundings as their vivid imaginations spiral through the chapters.
I love how the author combines a hauntingly tragic historic event with a parallel story, in a modern timeline, that draws so many parallel themes between the two. This story slowly builds for most of the book until it arrives at the heart of each timeline.
The creativity is remarkable, the writing is beautifully descriptive and yet, I was a bit confused at times, and found myself rereading sections to fully understand the inferences within the story line. This felt like an intensely concentrated story and I didn't want to miss even the smallest detail of its uniqueness or the diversity of the characterizations. Believe me, there is no shortage of characters in this story and it is the author's keen writing ability that keeps them all weirdly different and distinguishable.
I highly recommend this book and I will be very busy now discovering this author's backlist!
Thank you to NetGalley, Canongate, and Jess Kidd for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
In 1629, nine-year-old Mayken, now motherless, is traveling via the ship Batavia's maiden voyage, to live with the wealthy father she has never met. She is joined on her journey by her nursemaid, Imke, to whom she is deeply attached.
At sea, Imke mysteriously falls gravely ill and Mayken is convinced there is a mythical sea-monster on board who is responsible. She ventures high and low through the ship in her search to trap the villainous, Bullebak.
In 1989, nine-year-old Gil, after the death of his mother, is sent to live with his fisherman grandfather on an island off the coast of Western Australia. Soon after his arrival, he learns of the notorious shipwreck of the Batavia that happened centuries ago on the coral reefs surrounding the island.
Both Mayken and Gil find that cruelty, nightmares, horror and monsters can surface anywhere, anytime. There is unrest on the ship Mayken travels on and unrest on the island where Gil now lives...
Historical Fiction with touches of Magical Realism is the spark that led to requesting this ARC and my first experience reading one of Jess Kidd's books. If I were to briefly describe this story, I would say it is 'very full'. Full of history and imagination, survival and tragedy, life and death, darkness and light, and everything in-between.
I was moved by these parallel stories, told in two alternating timelines three-hundred years apart, of two nine-year-old main characters, each newly motherless, painfully curious, and overtly mischievous in their current surroundings as their vivid imaginations spiral through the chapters.
I love how the author combines a hauntingly tragic historic event with a parallel story, in a modern timeline, that draws so many parallel themes between the two. This story slowly builds for most of the book until it arrives at the heart of each timeline.
The creativity is remarkable, the writing is beautifully descriptive and yet, I was a bit confused at times, and found myself rereading sections to fully understand the inferences within the story line. This felt like an intensely concentrated story and I didn't want to miss even the smallest detail of its uniqueness or the diversity of the characterizations. Believe me, there is no shortage of characters in this story and it is the author's keen writing ability that keeps them all weirdly different and distinguishable.
I highly recommend this book and I will be very busy now discovering this author's backlist!
Thank you to NetGalley, Canongate, and Jess Kidd for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
October 20, 2022
I love when I read a story and it takes me to a historical time I was unaware of. This was the first I have heard of the Batavia shipwreck, located 65km off the coast of Australia.
The Batavia. In 1629, this ship set sail to the Dutch East Indies carrying an orphan, Mayken, and her nursemaid Imke. Then tragedy strikes months after their voyage has begun.
Fast forward, 1989, Gil who who lost his mother, finds himself on an island to be with his Granddad. Here he learns of the story of the Batavia shipwreck while he faces his own losses.
The past and the present see each other through a prophecy stone.
The harshness of this island, the isolation, the history: breeding grounds for madness.
Magical realism and folklore at its finest. It doesn’t always work for me but was done exceptionally well.
This is not a happy story. It’s brutal truth as to the tragedies that took place. But the young characters are so brave. Each facing their own realities of death.
My first Kidd but I kid you not, it won't be my last! This one will stay with me for a long while. 5⭐️
The Batavia. In 1629, this ship set sail to the Dutch East Indies carrying an orphan, Mayken, and her nursemaid Imke. Then tragedy strikes months after their voyage has begun.
Fast forward, 1989, Gil who who lost his mother, finds himself on an island to be with his Granddad. Here he learns of the story of the Batavia shipwreck while he faces his own losses.
The past and the present see each other through a prophecy stone.
The harshness of this island, the isolation, the history: breeding grounds for madness.
Magical realism and folklore at its finest. It doesn’t always work for me but was done exceptionally well.
This is not a happy story. It’s brutal truth as to the tragedies that took place. But the young characters are so brave. Each facing their own realities of death.
My first Kidd but I kid you not, it won't be my last! This one will stay with me for a long while. 5⭐️
August 16, 2022
4+ stars
Beautifully written, with child characters who stole my heart, centered around a historic event that I knew nothing about - things that made for an appealing read to me . It’s a dual story line with time frames, three hundred and sixty years apart, yet there are touching connections between the two children portrayed here and stunning connections between the the humanity and inhumanity in both times.
In 1629 Mayken, an adventurous nine year old girl, on the ill fated ship the Batavia is sailing to meet her father after the death of her mother . She’s precocious, inquisitive and fearless at times . As with other child characters that are in need, I wanted to climb in the pages and pull her out of harm’s way. The horrifying story of this ship will punch you in the gut. In 1989, on an island off the coast of Australia, nine year old Gil, who has lost his mother is sent there to live with his reluctant grandfather. Gil is fragile and lonely and I wanted to climb inside the pages and hug him and tell him things would be okay after the sad things he endures.
I don’t think I can do justice to this amazing story, so I’m including a link to my friend Linda’s review, who has done just that. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I received a copy of this book from Atria through NetGalley.
Beautifully written, with child characters who stole my heart, centered around a historic event that I knew nothing about - things that made for an appealing read to me . It’s a dual story line with time frames, three hundred and sixty years apart, yet there are touching connections between the two children portrayed here and stunning connections between the the humanity and inhumanity in both times.
In 1629 Mayken, an adventurous nine year old girl, on the ill fated ship the Batavia is sailing to meet her father after the death of her mother . She’s precocious, inquisitive and fearless at times . As with other child characters that are in need, I wanted to climb in the pages and pull her out of harm’s way. The horrifying story of this ship will punch you in the gut. In 1989, on an island off the coast of Australia, nine year old Gil, who has lost his mother is sent there to live with his reluctant grandfather. Gil is fragile and lonely and I wanted to climb inside the pages and hug him and tell him things would be okay after the sad things he endures.
I don’t think I can do justice to this amazing story, so I’m including a link to my friend Linda’s review, who has done just that. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I received a copy of this book from Atria through NetGalley.
April 21, 2024
2.3/5 ✩‧₊˚
i’ve re rated this after i can’t remember how it ends at all
Oh it doesn't feel right to give this book such a harsh rating when I don't think I was the intended audience.
I've discovered I'm a very plot driven reader, and this was extremely character based. The pacing - felt so slow for me at the start and I was pushing myself through it (something I said I wouldn't do this year).
The writing is beautiful, the world created is gorgeous. I could picture it all perfectly and that deserves so much praise. I love the ocean, I love the ships & islands. There were incredibly wholesome moments too.
With the plot, I'm not even sure I understood what happened - and this may be because I'm dumb and I'm off my ADHD medication, but I found this very difficult to follow.
╔═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╗
score card:
plot: 1/5
characters: 3.5/5
world/setting: 4/5
pacing: 1/5
enjoyment: 2/5
total: 2.3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
╚═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╝
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ reading log
19/04 9:26am ୨ৎ
so i’m halfway through i think, and i just feel like i have to keep dragging myself through. it’s such a shame because it’s a beautiful book, the characters and the imagery are top notch, im just a plot driven gal.
18/04 6:42pm ୨ৎ
the pace has finally picked up a bit and i’m sensing some drammaaaaaaa some jeopardy im still only at pg 128
18/04 2:01pm ୨ৎ
okay this is not grabbing my attention like i thought it would and maybe i’m just dumb but i’m finding this difficult to read - i did not take my adhd medication today
18/04 9:46am ୨ৎ
can everyone be real with me for a second, does anyone prefer long chapters?
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
the spinny wheel has chosen... the night ship! i'm not sure what genre i'd put this under, but it's based of the coast of western australia so it's home territory. and it's based on a ship! i love stories about pirates, loved the greyjoys in GOT - so im hoping i'll love this one.
i've done well picking some highly rated reads recently so im hoping the streak will continue ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
i’ve re rated this after i can’t remember how it ends at all
Oh it doesn't feel right to give this book such a harsh rating when I don't think I was the intended audience.
I've discovered I'm a very plot driven reader, and this was extremely character based. The pacing - felt so slow for me at the start and I was pushing myself through it (something I said I wouldn't do this year).
The writing is beautiful, the world created is gorgeous. I could picture it all perfectly and that deserves so much praise. I love the ocean, I love the ships & islands. There were incredibly wholesome moments too.
With the plot, I'm not even sure I understood what happened - and this may be because I'm dumb and I'm off my ADHD medication, but I found this very difficult to follow.
╔═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╗
score card:
plot: 1/5
characters: 3.5/5
world/setting: 4/5
pacing: 1/5
enjoyment: 2/5
total: 2.3/5ੈ✩‧₊˚
╚═════ ❀•°❀°•❀ ═════╝
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ reading log
19/04 9:26am ୨ৎ
so i’m halfway through i think, and i just feel like i have to keep dragging myself through. it’s such a shame because it’s a beautiful book, the characters and the imagery are top notch, im just a plot driven gal.
18/04 6:42pm ୨ৎ
the pace has finally picked up a bit and i’m sensing some drammaaaaaaa some jeopardy im still only at pg 128
18/04 2:01pm ୨ৎ
okay this is not grabbing my attention like i thought it would and maybe i’m just dumb but i’m finding this difficult to read - i did not take my adhd medication today
18/04 9:46am ୨ৎ
can everyone be real with me for a second, does anyone prefer long chapters?
︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶⠀୨♡୧⠀︶︶︶ ⊹ ︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-reading
the spinny wheel has chosen... the night ship! i'm not sure what genre i'd put this under, but it's based of the coast of western australia so it's home territory. and it's based on a ship! i love stories about pirates, loved the greyjoys in GOT - so im hoping i'll love this one.
i've done well picking some highly rated reads recently so im hoping the streak will continue ⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚
November 3, 2023
I was intrigued to read that Jess Kidd had turned her hand to writing historical fiction with a story based on an actual event. I wondered if she would still be able to introduce her usual magic when writing about hard facts. Of course she does and does it beautifully too.
The Night Ship of the title is the Batavia which sailed from Holland bound for the Spice Islands in 1629. The ship carried a cargo of silver coin to purchase spices, and on board, as well as a large crew, were a number of soldiers and private travellers including women and children. One of the children is the delightful, feisty, nine year old Mayken whose mother has recently died. She is travelling with her nurse to join her father, and it is her story we share told in alternate chapters with that of Gil.
Gil is also nine and he has also recently lost his mother. The year is 1989 and he is living on a small island off the coast of Western Australia with his fisherman Grandfather. His story is horribly sad and I cried all the way through one chapter involving a tortoise. You have to read it to understand!
Kidd introduces magical realism with all the many links between these two children who are both facing their own monsters, named according to their own country's folklore, Mayken's Bullebak and Gil's Bunyip.
The Night Ship is part ghost story, part horror story, part magical fiction, and also an historical record of a shocking event which makes you want to immediately go away to research all the background facts. It is a masterpiece of story telling, and there is so much more in it that I have not even mentioned. Beautifully written, heart wrenching and showing the absolute extremes of human behaviour - I loved every word of it.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
The Night Ship of the title is the Batavia which sailed from Holland bound for the Spice Islands in 1629. The ship carried a cargo of silver coin to purchase spices, and on board, as well as a large crew, were a number of soldiers and private travellers including women and children. One of the children is the delightful, feisty, nine year old Mayken whose mother has recently died. She is travelling with her nurse to join her father, and it is her story we share told in alternate chapters with that of Gil.
Gil is also nine and he has also recently lost his mother. The year is 1989 and he is living on a small island off the coast of Western Australia with his fisherman Grandfather. His story is horribly sad and I cried all the way through one chapter involving a tortoise. You have to read it to understand!
Kidd introduces magical realism with all the many links between these two children who are both facing their own monsters, named according to their own country's folklore, Mayken's Bullebak and Gil's Bunyip.
The Night Ship is part ghost story, part horror story, part magical fiction, and also an historical record of a shocking event which makes you want to immediately go away to research all the background facts. It is a masterpiece of story telling, and there is so much more in it that I have not even mentioned. Beautifully written, heart wrenching and showing the absolute extremes of human behaviour - I loved every word of it.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 23, 2022
I listened to the audio of Jess Kidd’s “The Night Ship”. Fleur de Wit and Adam Fitzgerald narrate this story told in two different time periods: 1629 and 1989.
In 1628 the ship, Batavia, set sail from Haarlem for Batavia in Jakarta. Mayken is a daughter of a wealthy merchant and is sailing with her nurse maid. The ship became a playground for Mayken and her part of the story is fun to listen to. She gets herself in sorts of antics. She’s very plucky. Her portion is a fun adventure….until the leaders of the expedition begin to feud after the ship crashes in coral.
The 1989 portion revolves around a boy, Gil, who moves to Beacon Island, where the shipwreck of the Batavia occurred in Australia. Gil’s story is sad. He’s there because his mother died, and his grandfather is his only living relative. Gil has always been “different”, something that his mother encouraged, to his determent. For example, he dresses in his mother’s clothes, wears makeup, and is achingly different from boys his age. As one can imagine, his life is not easy. His life was difficult with his mother, and that difficulty follows him when he goes to live with his grandfather. He becomes interested in the Batavia story and the legend of the ghost of the girl who haunts the island.
Gil’s story was difficult for me to listen to. I ached for the poor boy, who’s troubles follow him. Being eccentric is not easy. Mayken’s story was fun to listen to until the ship met its demise. The fun turns to a suspenseful read.
I wasn’t sure how Kidd was going to knit the two stories together, but she did! This is a heavily researched story about the souls on the Batavia. Kidd provides an epilogue which illuminates the fact from the fiction.
I enjoyed the audio. The narrators did a fine job. Because this is an adventure story, the audio is superb!
In 1628 the ship, Batavia, set sail from Haarlem for Batavia in Jakarta. Mayken is a daughter of a wealthy merchant and is sailing with her nurse maid. The ship became a playground for Mayken and her part of the story is fun to listen to. She gets herself in sorts of antics. She’s very plucky. Her portion is a fun adventure….until the leaders of the expedition begin to feud after the ship crashes in coral.
The 1989 portion revolves around a boy, Gil, who moves to Beacon Island, where the shipwreck of the Batavia occurred in Australia. Gil’s story is sad. He’s there because his mother died, and his grandfather is his only living relative. Gil has always been “different”, something that his mother encouraged, to his determent. For example, he dresses in his mother’s clothes, wears makeup, and is achingly different from boys his age. As one can imagine, his life is not easy. His life was difficult with his mother, and that difficulty follows him when he goes to live with his grandfather. He becomes interested in the Batavia story and the legend of the ghost of the girl who haunts the island.
Gil’s story was difficult for me to listen to. I ached for the poor boy, who’s troubles follow him. Being eccentric is not easy. Mayken’s story was fun to listen to until the ship met its demise. The fun turns to a suspenseful read.
I wasn’t sure how Kidd was going to knit the two stories together, but she did! This is a heavily researched story about the souls on the Batavia. Kidd provides an epilogue which illuminates the fact from the fiction.
I enjoyed the audio. The narrators did a fine job. Because this is an adventure story, the audio is superb!
August 6, 2022
Another winner for me from the author I have been following for some time now!
The tale of tragic story of the Batavia and its links to modern times make the main plot. The two main protagonists, a girl called Mayken who boarded the ship in 1629 to join her father in the colony, and a boy, Gil, who in 1989 lives on a small island not far from the shipwreck, supplement each other and althought their stories are different they do have a lot in common, both being motherless and having the curiosity about life and having to conquer obstacles life prepares for them.
I am not a big fan of dualtime storylines but I liked it in this book, it is natural and rooting for both Mayken and Gil was authentic on my part.
I think Ms Kidd's latest novel differes from her previous ones, but to me it is a signal she can write in whatever manner she chooses.
*A big thank-you to Jess Kidd, Canongate, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
The tale of tragic story of the Batavia and its links to modern times make the main plot. The two main protagonists, a girl called Mayken who boarded the ship in 1629 to join her father in the colony, and a boy, Gil, who in 1989 lives on a small island not far from the shipwreck, supplement each other and althought their stories are different they do have a lot in common, both being motherless and having the curiosity about life and having to conquer obstacles life prepares for them.
I am not a big fan of dualtime storylines but I liked it in this book, it is natural and rooting for both Mayken and Gil was authentic on my part.
I think Ms Kidd's latest novel differes from her previous ones, but to me it is a signal she can write in whatever manner she chooses.
*A big thank-you to Jess Kidd, Canongate, and NetGalley for arc in exchange for my honest review.*
August 30, 2022
EXCERPT: Gil stands next to her, breathing tobacco smoke and mineral air. She smokes the third rollie contemplating an area of scrub. One of the bushes is bigger, more gnarly and set apart. It's branches are hung with ribbons and beads. Around the base of the bush, children's toys are arranged. Some of the offerings look new: a yellow plastic yo-yo, a tiny red bus. Some look old and weathered: faceless dolls, faded bears.
'That's the raggedy tree. Now you've seen all the landmarks, apart from Bill Nord's new dunny.'
Gil watches the ribbons flutter. 'What's all this for?'
'The dead girl who haunts the island. She hangs out here mostly.'
Gil, suddenly breathless, thinks of his mother. She was young here. 'What dead girl?'
'Old time ghost from the shipwreck.'
Gil feels himself calm. 'There's no such thing as ghosts.' He moves forward, touches the ribbons, straightens a fallen toy at the foot of the bush.
'You know about the shipwreck?' Sylvia takes a few deep, reflective puffs. 'Way, way back. They were Dutch. One lot went about murdering the other lot. Their boat was called the Batavia.'
ABOUT 'THE NIGHT SHIP': 1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.
1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…
MY THOUGHTS: 'The dead can't hurt you. It's the living you need to watch out for.'
I think I would have been a lot happier with this read had it simply been Gil's story. I found Mayken's story to be largely tedious and repetitive, while Gil's story is a touching one of a boy who is different and very much alone. His grandfather, with whom he comes to live on Beacon Island, is a hard man, a fisherman. He didn't understand his daughter, and he doesn't understand his grandson.
Both children are nine when their mothers die. Other than that and a relic that once belonged to Mayken that is found and treasured by Gil, there's not a lot that connects them. I kept waiting for some amazing connection, some revelation, but it never came.
I didn't know when I began this read that Mayken's story is based around a real shipwreck. But this doesn't occur until quite late in the book and I was already disillusioned with that portion of the story by then. The shipwreck didn't improve the story at all.
Mayken's story went from grim to grimmer; whereas I always felt hope for Gil. He is lonely and bullied, his only friend a tortoise, but there is something about this boy that touched my heart.
⭐⭐.5 and all for Gil.
#TheNightShip #NetGalley
I: @jesskiddwriter @canongatebooks
T: @JessKiddHerself @canongatebooks
#contemporaryfiction #historicalfiction
THE AUTHOR: Jess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Canongate via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Night Ship by Jess Kidd for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'That's the raggedy tree. Now you've seen all the landmarks, apart from Bill Nord's new dunny.'
Gil watches the ribbons flutter. 'What's all this for?'
'The dead girl who haunts the island. She hangs out here mostly.'
Gil, suddenly breathless, thinks of his mother. She was young here. 'What dead girl?'
'Old time ghost from the shipwreck.'
Gil feels himself calm. 'There's no such thing as ghosts.' He moves forward, touches the ribbons, straightens a fallen toy at the foot of the bush.
'You know about the shipwreck?' Sylvia takes a few deep, reflective puffs. 'Way, way back. They were Dutch. One lot went about murdering the other lot. Their boat was called the Batavia.'
ABOUT 'THE NIGHT SHIP': 1629: A newly orphaned young girl named Mayken is bound for the Dutch East Indies on the Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch Golden Age. Curious and mischievous, Mayken spends the long journey going on misadventures above and below the deck, searching for a mythical monster. But the true monsters might be closer than she thinks.
1989: A lonely boy named Gil is sent to live off the coast of Western Australia among the seasonal fishing community where his late mother once resided. There, on the tiny reef-shrouded island, he discovers the story of an infamous shipwreck…
MY THOUGHTS: 'The dead can't hurt you. It's the living you need to watch out for.'
I think I would have been a lot happier with this read had it simply been Gil's story. I found Mayken's story to be largely tedious and repetitive, while Gil's story is a touching one of a boy who is different and very much alone. His grandfather, with whom he comes to live on Beacon Island, is a hard man, a fisherman. He didn't understand his daughter, and he doesn't understand his grandson.
Both children are nine when their mothers die. Other than that and a relic that once belonged to Mayken that is found and treasured by Gil, there's not a lot that connects them. I kept waiting for some amazing connection, some revelation, but it never came.
I didn't know when I began this read that Mayken's story is based around a real shipwreck. But this doesn't occur until quite late in the book and I was already disillusioned with that portion of the story by then. The shipwreck didn't improve the story at all.
Mayken's story went from grim to grimmer; whereas I always felt hope for Gil. He is lonely and bullied, his only friend a tortoise, but there is something about this boy that touched my heart.
⭐⭐.5 and all for Gil.
#TheNightShip #NetGalley
I: @jesskiddwriter @canongatebooks
T: @JessKiddHerself @canongatebooks
#contemporaryfiction #historicalfiction
THE AUTHOR: Jess Kidd was brought up in London as part of a large family from county Mayo and has been praised for her unique fictional voice.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Canongate via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Night Ship by Jess Kidd for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 1, 2023
A good story but after about half way, I lost interest and had to force myself to finish.
I think it might have been a case of "it's not you, it's me".... because it is an engaging story and it's well written. I seem to be in a bit of that dreaded reading slump and finding it almost impossible to concentrate. I think I've just read too many novels in a row and I need some nonfiction.
At first I rated it 4 stars, though my enjoyment was 3..... but the story was all but ruined by
So yeh, it's getting knocked down to one star.
CW: Intentional injury to an animal. Kids too but that's to be expected in this story. The animal was not.
I think it might have been a case of "it's not you, it's me".... because it is an engaging story and it's well written. I seem to be in a bit of that dreaded reading slump and finding it almost impossible to concentrate. I think I've just read too many novels in a row and I need some nonfiction.
At first I rated it 4 stars, though my enjoyment was 3..... but the story was all but ruined by
So yeh, it's getting knocked down to one star.
CW: Intentional injury to an animal. Kids too but that's to be expected in this story. The animal was not.
March 25, 2024
In a Nutshell: I enjoy historical fiction. I enjoy fantastical elements. I enjoy stories with strong child characters. I enjoy dual timelines. I enjoy fiction based on facts. BUT I did NOT enjoy this book. Go figure!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
The book started off really well, especially in the 1629 timeline. The 1989 timeline was duller in comparison, with hardly anything to hold my interest. But when I reached the halfway mark of the book, I realised that I was registering nothing, my mind drifting away more and more often. So I went back all the way to the start and forced myself to concentrate. However, I began to lose interest at exactly the same point. I completed this book only by sheer determination and a hatred of DNFing. When a book has two timelines and neither keeps you invested, there’s no way this ship would sail to a happy ending.
The obvious common factor between the two timelines is that they come to us from a child’s perspective. Both the kids are adventurous, inquisitive, atypical of their era, and orphans. Mayken is an especially amazing character, what with her tendency to explore forbidden areas, her wild imagination, her love for her nurse maid Imke – also a great character, and her determination to be brave. Gil’s personality is more subdued in comparison, though he also has a whimsical side to him. Both kids however never behave their age, especially evident through Mayken’s fondness for using the F word. Slightly implausible that a wealthy and sheltered young girl of the early 17th century would know and use a cuss word! The only character I liked in the 1989 story was Enkidu the tortoise.
The historical timeline (the 1629 one, I mean. As I type this, I realise that both timelines are historical!) kept my attention much more than the modern one. The characters, the life aboard the ship, the old beliefs and superstitions, the mythical water monster, the darkness of the subsequent events – all were gripping to a great extent. However, as we see everything proceed only through Mayken’s eyes, we see what’s happening but we never realise why it happened. Especially considering the human machinations that resulted in such a gruesome outcome, knowing the reasons and the motivations of those involved would have helped much in feeling connected to the narrative.
There is a hint of the fantastical in both timelines, what with Mayken’s imagined monster and Gil’s investigation of the identity of the ghost girl. But the potential stays underutilised.
I had assumed that the “ghost” quest would somehow bind the two timelines together. But at the end, each timeline was cut off abruptly, with nary a connection established and many questions left unanswered. Moreover, the shift between the two timelines was very frequent, especially in the final quarter. Jumping between 1629 and 1989 after every 2-3 pages made for a bumpy and annoying ride, and the flat ending of both timelines sealed the disappointment.
I fail to see the point of Gil’s story as it had nothing to connect to the Batavia wreck except for the presence of the wreck itself in the background. The two tracks never feel like parts of the same fictional work. This novel might have worked much better for me had it focussed only on the Batavia story, thereby providing a detailed glimpse of the exact historical events.
The 1629 timeline is based on the actual shipwreck of the Batavia. I hadn’t heard of this incident and its gruesome fallout, and learning the truth of the incident left me incredulous. That said, I would have appreciated some suspense about the proceedings. However, the 1989 timeline reveals details about the 1629 events even before the historical timeline does. The latter spends a lot of time on the pre-wreck narrative but zooms through the actual event and its consequences. I read the Wikipedia entry after I completed the book to fill in the many blanks left by the novel. The wreck, its cause and its aftermath is like a horror story. How I wish the book had handled the post-wreck scenes better!
One factor where this negative reading experience is my fault is in my preference for balanced realism in writing. I'm not sure what I thought the book would be, but I certainly did not expect this endless cycle of death and darkness and abuse and misery, much of which was graphic. There is hardly any positivity in the book. On top of it, it includes gratuitous animal abuse as well! I know there are readers for such plots, but I am not one of them. I don’t mind dark reads, but seeing a plot that is so dark that it is almost carbon black? Not for me. This was almost like misery lit in the second half.
I’ve heard much praise about this author’s writing and I could see the beauty of her descriptions in this book as well. But as far as plot development is concerned, maybe I should try another book of hers to see if this novel was an aberration or the norm.
I cannot think of any strong positive point by which to recommend this book. However, all of my friends on Goodreads except two have rated this 4-5 stars. So it’s very clear that the book does hold appeal to the right reader, and I encourage you to pick it up and discover the same for yourself. In the meantime, I go looking for a book with some rays of sunshine to heal my broken heart.
2 stars, almost entirely for Mayken and for making me aware of the Batavia shipwreck.
My thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Night Ship”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
1629. Nine-year-old Mayken, newly orphaned, is sailing along with her nurse maid to the Dutch East Indies. Their vessel is the magnificent Batavia, one of the greatest ships of the Dutch trading fleet. Mayken is unlike typical girls of her era, with her unbridled curiosity and her propensity for misadventure. She spends her time roaming the ship’s underdecks and searching for a mythical monster, not realising that there is no monster worse than humankind.
1989. Nine-year-old Gil, newly orphaned, is sent off to live with his grandfather off the coast of Western Australia, on a small fishing island. When he discovers the story of a shipwreck and hears of a young girl’s ghost roaming the isle, his curiosity is stirred. However, his exploration of the facts isn’t easy when the adults around him aren’t used to having a “weird child” around.
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of Mayken and Gil.
The book started off really well, especially in the 1629 timeline. The 1989 timeline was duller in comparison, with hardly anything to hold my interest. But when I reached the halfway mark of the book, I realised that I was registering nothing, my mind drifting away more and more often. So I went back all the way to the start and forced myself to concentrate. However, I began to lose interest at exactly the same point. I completed this book only by sheer determination and a hatred of DNFing. When a book has two timelines and neither keeps you invested, there’s no way this ship would sail to a happy ending.
The obvious common factor between the two timelines is that they come to us from a child’s perspective. Both the kids are adventurous, inquisitive, atypical of their era, and orphans. Mayken is an especially amazing character, what with her tendency to explore forbidden areas, her wild imagination, her love for her nurse maid Imke – also a great character, and her determination to be brave. Gil’s personality is more subdued in comparison, though he also has a whimsical side to him. Both kids however never behave their age, especially evident through Mayken’s fondness for using the F word. Slightly implausible that a wealthy and sheltered young girl of the early 17th century would know and use a cuss word! The only character I liked in the 1989 story was Enkidu the tortoise.
The historical timeline (the 1629 one, I mean. As I type this, I realise that both timelines are historical!) kept my attention much more than the modern one. The characters, the life aboard the ship, the old beliefs and superstitions, the mythical water monster, the darkness of the subsequent events – all were gripping to a great extent. However, as we see everything proceed only through Mayken’s eyes, we see what’s happening but we never realise why it happened. Especially considering the human machinations that resulted in such a gruesome outcome, knowing the reasons and the motivations of those involved would have helped much in feeling connected to the narrative.
There is a hint of the fantastical in both timelines, what with Mayken’s imagined monster and Gil’s investigation of the identity of the ghost girl. But the potential stays underutilised.
I had assumed that the “ghost” quest would somehow bind the two timelines together. But at the end, each timeline was cut off abruptly, with nary a connection established and many questions left unanswered. Moreover, the shift between the two timelines was very frequent, especially in the final quarter. Jumping between 1629 and 1989 after every 2-3 pages made for a bumpy and annoying ride, and the flat ending of both timelines sealed the disappointment.
I fail to see the point of Gil’s story as it had nothing to connect to the Batavia wreck except for the presence of the wreck itself in the background. The two tracks never feel like parts of the same fictional work. This novel might have worked much better for me had it focussed only on the Batavia story, thereby providing a detailed glimpse of the exact historical events.
The 1629 timeline is based on the actual shipwreck of the Batavia. I hadn’t heard of this incident and its gruesome fallout, and learning the truth of the incident left me incredulous. That said, I would have appreciated some suspense about the proceedings. However, the 1989 timeline reveals details about the 1629 events even before the historical timeline does. The latter spends a lot of time on the pre-wreck narrative but zooms through the actual event and its consequences. I read the Wikipedia entry after I completed the book to fill in the many blanks left by the novel. The wreck, its cause and its aftermath is like a horror story. How I wish the book had handled the post-wreck scenes better!
One factor where this negative reading experience is my fault is in my preference for balanced realism in writing. I'm not sure what I thought the book would be, but I certainly did not expect this endless cycle of death and darkness and abuse and misery, much of which was graphic. There is hardly any positivity in the book. On top of it, it includes gratuitous animal abuse as well! I know there are readers for such plots, but I am not one of them. I don’t mind dark reads, but seeing a plot that is so dark that it is almost carbon black? Not for me. This was almost like misery lit in the second half.
I’ve heard much praise about this author’s writing and I could see the beauty of her descriptions in this book as well. But as far as plot development is concerned, maybe I should try another book of hers to see if this novel was an aberration or the norm.
I cannot think of any strong positive point by which to recommend this book. However, all of my friends on Goodreads except two have rated this 4-5 stars. So it’s very clear that the book does hold appeal to the right reader, and I encourage you to pick it up and discover the same for yourself. In the meantime, I go looking for a book with some rays of sunshine to heal my broken heart.
2 stars, almost entirely for Mayken and for making me aware of the Batavia shipwreck.
My thanks to Canongate and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Night Ship”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book. Sorry this didn’t work out better.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || X/Twitter || Facebook ||
November 23, 2022
Will there ever be a Jess Kidd novel that I don’t love?
I think not. I hope not. I can’t imagine it.
Kidd’s latest book, The Night Ship, is all that I desired it to be. But going into it, I was a little concerned that with it being a tale of historical fiction inspired by the 1629 wreck of the Dutch ship, Batavia, Kidd’s signature magical realism would be cast aside in favor of, well, history.
My concern was all for naught, though. Now don’t get me wrong: Kidd has done her historical research, and she’s done it well. But to my delight, still incorporated within the history of the story is her unique brand of magic and the supernatural, allowing for ghosts and a mythical sea monster to be weaved into the narrative.
There are two timelines – one that follows nine-year-old Mayken in 1629, a young girl aboard the Batavia, and one set in 1989 following Gil, also nine years-old, as he is sent to Western Australia’s Beacon Island to live with his grandfather. The storylines are equally compelling, haunting, and heartbreaking. Kidd does a masterful job of unfolding Mayken and Gil’s stories in a synchronistic way so that poignant moments and major plot points align brilliantly.
A more beautiful novel, The Night Ship could not have been. And this is why Jess Kidd continues to be my most favorite writer we have today. There are few quite like her.
My sincerest appreciation to Jess Kidd, Canongate, and NetGalley UK for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
I think not. I hope not. I can’t imagine it.
Kidd’s latest book, The Night Ship, is all that I desired it to be. But going into it, I was a little concerned that with it being a tale of historical fiction inspired by the 1629 wreck of the Dutch ship, Batavia, Kidd’s signature magical realism would be cast aside in favor of, well, history.
My concern was all for naught, though. Now don’t get me wrong: Kidd has done her historical research, and she’s done it well. But to my delight, still incorporated within the history of the story is her unique brand of magic and the supernatural, allowing for ghosts and a mythical sea monster to be weaved into the narrative.
There are two timelines – one that follows nine-year-old Mayken in 1629, a young girl aboard the Batavia, and one set in 1989 following Gil, also nine years-old, as he is sent to Western Australia’s Beacon Island to live with his grandfather. The storylines are equally compelling, haunting, and heartbreaking. Kidd does a masterful job of unfolding Mayken and Gil’s stories in a synchronistic way so that poignant moments and major plot points align brilliantly.
A more beautiful novel, The Night Ship could not have been. And this is why Jess Kidd continues to be my most favorite writer we have today. There are few quite like her.
My sincerest appreciation to Jess Kidd, Canongate, and NetGalley UK for the Advance Review Copy. All opinions included herein are my own.
September 25, 2022
Another wonderful novel by Jess Kidd!
Based on the true story of the sinking of the Batavia.
Beautiful writing, especially of the two nine year old protagonists who make up the dual timeline of the book.
1628 .. Mayken, a Dutch girl, boards the Batavia..traveling with her nursemaid after her mother’s death to Batavia the capital of the Dutch East Indies where her wealthy father lives.
1989 .. Gil, his mother has died and he’s gone to live with his grandfather, who lives in fishing village on Beacon Island, off the coast of Australia..it is the archeological site of the Batavia shipwreck.
There are some touches of magical realism in the story.. also some of the brutal stories of the survivors of the shipwreck who lived on the island and tried to survive.
Gil’s story, I really loved .. and great characters!
I have read every one of this author’s books, and look forward to anything written by her!
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC!
Based on the true story of the sinking of the Batavia.
Beautiful writing, especially of the two nine year old protagonists who make up the dual timeline of the book.
1628 .. Mayken, a Dutch girl, boards the Batavia..traveling with her nursemaid after her mother’s death to Batavia the capital of the Dutch East Indies where her wealthy father lives.
1989 .. Gil, his mother has died and he’s gone to live with his grandfather, who lives in fishing village on Beacon Island, off the coast of Australia..it is the archeological site of the Batavia shipwreck.
There are some touches of magical realism in the story.. also some of the brutal stories of the survivors of the shipwreck who lived on the island and tried to survive.
Gil’s story, I really loved .. and great characters!
I have read every one of this author’s books, and look forward to anything written by her!
Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC!
July 19, 2022
Jess Kidd’s latest novel is based on the shipwreck of the Dutch trading ship the Batavia in 1629 in the Abrohlos Islands off the coast of Western Australia. She was the pride of the Dutch East India company, on her maiden voyage to the East Indies as flagship of a fleet of eight vessels. Sailing from the Dutch port of Texel she was carrying a cargo of silver coins and 341 people including crew, soldiers and passengers.
They say that fact is stranger than fiction and story of the shipwreck of the Batavia and what followed afterwards is certainly extraordinary. Jess Kidd adds her own tough of magic to the tale by reimagining the journey through the eyes of Mayken, a nine year old girl, transporting us into the deprivation of living cooped up in a small, cramped ship for eight months followed by the horrific brutality that occurred following the shipwreck.
Mirroring Mayken’s life on the Batavia in many ways is that of another nine year old, Gil in 1989. Both children have recently lost their mothers and while Mayken is being taken by her nursemaid to her father in the East Indies, Gil is sent to live with his grandfather, a cray fisherman on the Abrohlos. Both are unusual children with active imaginations and have imaginary monsters lurking nearby. In Gil’s case it is the Bunyip, luring children into its waterhole and in Mayken’s case it is the Bullebak who she believes lives in the bottom of the ship. However, neither is yet aware that there are real monsters even closer who mean them real harm.
This is an excellent retelling of this historical event, meticulously researched and imagined through the eyes of a spirited child and infused with a little of Kidd’s magical realism. The two children are beautifully rendered and it’s hard not to feel a connection with both of them and feel for the heartbreaking trials they will each live through. Although I previously knew the story of the Batavia, having visited the excellent exhibit in the Shipwreck Museum in Fremantle, I still found it a haunting tale, wonderfully told, that will linger in my thoughts for a while.
With thanks to Canongate via Netgalley for a copy to read
They say that fact is stranger than fiction and story of the shipwreck of the Batavia and what followed afterwards is certainly extraordinary. Jess Kidd adds her own tough of magic to the tale by reimagining the journey through the eyes of Mayken, a nine year old girl, transporting us into the deprivation of living cooped up in a small, cramped ship for eight months followed by the horrific brutality that occurred following the shipwreck.
Mirroring Mayken’s life on the Batavia in many ways is that of another nine year old, Gil in 1989. Both children have recently lost their mothers and while Mayken is being taken by her nursemaid to her father in the East Indies, Gil is sent to live with his grandfather, a cray fisherman on the Abrohlos. Both are unusual children with active imaginations and have imaginary monsters lurking nearby. In Gil’s case it is the Bunyip, luring children into its waterhole and in Mayken’s case it is the Bullebak who she believes lives in the bottom of the ship. However, neither is yet aware that there are real monsters even closer who mean them real harm.
This is an excellent retelling of this historical event, meticulously researched and imagined through the eyes of a spirited child and infused with a little of Kidd’s magical realism. The two children are beautifully rendered and it’s hard not to feel a connection with both of them and feel for the heartbreaking trials they will each live through. Although I previously knew the story of the Batavia, having visited the excellent exhibit in the Shipwreck Museum in Fremantle, I still found it a haunting tale, wonderfully told, that will linger in my thoughts for a while.
With thanks to Canongate via Netgalley for a copy to read
November 14, 2022
4★
“Mayken loves the sailors instantly. The daring of them, their speed along the ropes, the heights they climb to!”
Mayken is the child, a young Dutch child, nine years old. Her mother has died, so she is sailing aboard the ‘Batavia’ with her nursemaid, Imke, bound for Batavia in the Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia), where her father lives. Half of the book is her story, a fictionalised account of the true voyage in 1628.
Imke is badly seasick, but Mayken loves everything, to the point of deciding she will be a sailor when she grows up. She studies the crew as they work and describes how she will one day write her own ship’s log.
“Today the waves are big and the ship jumps into them, the lion on the bowsprit dips his great paw right in! I practise spitting and swearing when Imke’s asleep. I can spit quite far. I would make a great sailor. We have been eleven days at sea.”
The other half of the book belongs to Gil, an Australian boy, also nine, sent in 1989 to live with his late mother’s father, a cray fisherman, on one of the small islands off the coast of Western Australia. He doesn’t know who his father is, and he’s unhappy with his gruff grandfather.
The Abrolhos Islands are a mix of coral reefs and small islands without a permanent population. Fishers, divers, and scientists stay in small shacks or dwellings only during the season, but retreat to the mainland otherwise. There are tourists and day-trippers from Geraldton during the holidays.
I was particularly interested in reading this because I recently read The Islands by Australian author Emily Brugman, a historical fiction novel about the Finnish immigrants who came to the Abrolhos to fish for crayfish, so I was aware of this area already.
The history of Mayken’s ‘Batavia’ voyage and the violent, blood-thirsty brutality of the crew are well known, making the islands a popular place for visitors to search for artefacts. This gives an opportunity for Mayken’s and Gil’s stories to parallel each other as he finds items that we know she used.
They are very different children. Mayken is seems younger to me, fearless, and noisy the way some little kids are – always questioning, whistling, making sounds. Gil seems a bit older, fearful, and silent. What they have in common is a horror of being hunted by monsters, terrifying ones that slither up from the briny deep to attack the unwary.
The author makes general comparisons at first, and as she reveals more of their lives, the similarities are almost word for word.
About the stars. Gil first.
“Dutch shines his torch to illuminate their burrows. He talks about the stars and points out constellations. Gil pays no attention. He would rather the stars stayed wild and not become something else he has to know about.”
Then Mayken, from high in the rigging where an old sailor has taken her.
“‘There are more stars up here.’
‘There are the same number, only you can see them better. That one there—’
‘Don’t name them! Let them be wild and not something I have to learn about.’”
The tragedy of the story is well-known, but the author has made it personal and human, adding descriptive passages that add to the experiences of the children. This one is the old sailor teaching Mayken.
“Holdfast looks up at the sky. ‘Close your eyes and listen to the song of the ship.’
Mayken closes her eyes and listens, to the billow of canvas and the rasp of rope and the plash of water on the hull. The ship creaks, heeling as her massive sails fill with wind. And beyond this, the ship’s own song in the accent of the forest she is made from – a whole forest of trees! In the ship’s song is the memory of branches and leaves tasting the wind. The heartbeat of the slow-growing oak, the rushing pine.
Mayken opens her eyes.
‘Did you hear it?’
Mayken nods.
‘She will keep us safe, though there’ll be storms and shipworms outside and in. To the ‘Batavia’ we must cling.’”
That’s a lovely thought, although we know what happens to timber on sharp reefs.
Kidd has made much of the settings and the characters, tying them together around the ‘Batavia’ tragedy. She has put the actual crew and passengers into the story, and made it all too real. A good, if sad, read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for the copy for review.
This is a link to my review of The Islands by Emily Brugman. I think these books go well together.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Another recent book about this area is The Brink, by Holden Sheppard, which I just read and reviewed here. It's a modern story of young school-leavers "holidaying" on one of the islands.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
“Mayken loves the sailors instantly. The daring of them, their speed along the ropes, the heights they climb to!”
Mayken is the child, a young Dutch child, nine years old. Her mother has died, so she is sailing aboard the ‘Batavia’ with her nursemaid, Imke, bound for Batavia in the Dutch East Indies (now Jakarta, Indonesia), where her father lives. Half of the book is her story, a fictionalised account of the true voyage in 1628.
Imke is badly seasick, but Mayken loves everything, to the point of deciding she will be a sailor when she grows up. She studies the crew as they work and describes how she will one day write her own ship’s log.
“Today the waves are big and the ship jumps into them, the lion on the bowsprit dips his great paw right in! I practise spitting and swearing when Imke’s asleep. I can spit quite far. I would make a great sailor. We have been eleven days at sea.”
The other half of the book belongs to Gil, an Australian boy, also nine, sent in 1989 to live with his late mother’s father, a cray fisherman, on one of the small islands off the coast of Western Australia. He doesn’t know who his father is, and he’s unhappy with his gruff grandfather.
The Abrolhos Islands are a mix of coral reefs and small islands without a permanent population. Fishers, divers, and scientists stay in small shacks or dwellings only during the season, but retreat to the mainland otherwise. There are tourists and day-trippers from Geraldton during the holidays.
I was particularly interested in reading this because I recently read The Islands by Australian author Emily Brugman, a historical fiction novel about the Finnish immigrants who came to the Abrolhos to fish for crayfish, so I was aware of this area already.
The history of Mayken’s ‘Batavia’ voyage and the violent, blood-thirsty brutality of the crew are well known, making the islands a popular place for visitors to search for artefacts. This gives an opportunity for Mayken’s and Gil’s stories to parallel each other as he finds items that we know she used.
They are very different children. Mayken is seems younger to me, fearless, and noisy the way some little kids are – always questioning, whistling, making sounds. Gil seems a bit older, fearful, and silent. What they have in common is a horror of being hunted by monsters, terrifying ones that slither up from the briny deep to attack the unwary.
The author makes general comparisons at first, and as she reveals more of their lives, the similarities are almost word for word.
About the stars. Gil first.
“Dutch shines his torch to illuminate their burrows. He talks about the stars and points out constellations. Gil pays no attention. He would rather the stars stayed wild and not become something else he has to know about.”
Then Mayken, from high in the rigging where an old sailor has taken her.
“‘There are more stars up here.’
‘There are the same number, only you can see them better. That one there—’
‘Don’t name them! Let them be wild and not something I have to learn about.’”
The tragedy of the story is well-known, but the author has made it personal and human, adding descriptive passages that add to the experiences of the children. This one is the old sailor teaching Mayken.
“Holdfast looks up at the sky. ‘Close your eyes and listen to the song of the ship.’
Mayken closes her eyes and listens, to the billow of canvas and the rasp of rope and the plash of water on the hull. The ship creaks, heeling as her massive sails fill with wind. And beyond this, the ship’s own song in the accent of the forest she is made from – a whole forest of trees! In the ship’s song is the memory of branches and leaves tasting the wind. The heartbeat of the slow-growing oak, the rushing pine.
Mayken opens her eyes.
‘Did you hear it?’
Mayken nods.
‘She will keep us safe, though there’ll be storms and shipworms outside and in. To the ‘Batavia’ we must cling.’”
That’s a lovely thought, although we know what happens to timber on sharp reefs.
Kidd has made much of the settings and the characters, tying them together around the ‘Batavia’ tragedy. She has put the actual crew and passengers into the story, and made it all too real. A good, if sad, read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Canongate Books for the copy for review.
This is a link to my review of The Islands by Emily Brugman. I think these books go well together.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Another recent book about this area is The Brink, by Holden Sheppard, which I just read and reviewed here. It's a modern story of young school-leavers "holidaying" on one of the islands.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
dnf
November 4, 2022DNF @ 20%
I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous books but found this to be a slog. The characters, the writing, the dual timeline, and the magical realism did not work for me. I made it to 20% only because I was a captive audience on a flight.
I’ve enjoyed the author’s previous books but found this to be a slog. The characters, the writing, the dual timeline, and the magical realism did not work for me. I made it to 20% only because I was a captive audience on a flight.
August 19, 2023
I love a good ghost story, and I love a good treasure hunt. The Night Ship has both and several other mysteries intertwined. The story alternates between the lives of two children, Gil in 1989, and Mayken in 1629. Both children have suffered loss and trauma and navigate it in their own way. They each have an assortment of people around them ranging from high class to low lifes and everyone in between. Looks are often deceiving and people aren’t always what they seem.
I loved the juxtaposition of the world above deck and the world below deck on Mayken’s ship. I loved the motley crew she encounters below. Gil’s grandfather and the other fishermen capture the grittiness and toughness of the job and the isolating life at sea and on an island. Gil befriends his own cast of characters with suspect pasts and motives.
I loved the elements of magical realism tied into the narrative through legends/folklore. People having a second sight, a stone with a hole in the middle that allows the beholder to gaze into the past or future, and best of all, a mythical creature that lives in the bilge of the boat.
Memorable moments and scenes. The hunt for Bullebak/Bunyip, The Raggedy Tree, The swimming contest, and all things Enkidu. Mayken’s relationship s were so very touching. Imke with her gift of prophecy and the game she played with Mayken guessing how Imke lost her fingers. My favorite character was Holdfast, his interactions with Mayken, and the tales he told.
Two quotes that resonate with me and the overall theme of the books are:
“The greatest disgrace of humankind is the failure of the strong to protect the week. We don’t need monsters, . . . , we are the monsters.”
And
“To celebrate a scar is to celebrate survival.”
I absolutely LOVED The Night Ship. The hardcover edition is absolutely gorgeous-the book jacket, the artistic waves at the onset of each chapter, and the exterior spine pages painted blue made for an enchanting reading experience.
I loved the juxtaposition of the world above deck and the world below deck on Mayken’s ship. I loved the motley crew she encounters below. Gil’s grandfather and the other fishermen capture the grittiness and toughness of the job and the isolating life at sea and on an island. Gil befriends his own cast of characters with suspect pasts and motives.
I loved the elements of magical realism tied into the narrative through legends/folklore. People having a second sight, a stone with a hole in the middle that allows the beholder to gaze into the past or future, and best of all, a mythical creature that lives in the bilge of the boat.
Memorable moments and scenes. The hunt for Bullebak/Bunyip, The Raggedy Tree, The swimming contest, and all things Enkidu. Mayken’s relationship s were so very touching. Imke with her gift of prophecy and the game she played with Mayken guessing how Imke lost her fingers. My favorite character was Holdfast, his interactions with Mayken, and the tales he told.
Two quotes that resonate with me and the overall theme of the books are:
“The greatest disgrace of humankind is the failure of the strong to protect the week. We don’t need monsters, . . . , we are the monsters.”
And
“To celebrate a scar is to celebrate survival.”
I absolutely LOVED The Night Ship. The hardcover edition is absolutely gorgeous-the book jacket, the artistic waves at the onset of each chapter, and the exterior spine pages painted blue made for an enchanting reading experience.
March 21, 2023
Mayken and Gil, living their lives in 1629 and 1989 respectively. The parallels between these two would be impossible to miss. Mayken's voyage and ultimate shipwreck on the Batavia is fascinating. Gil's new life with his grandfather is riveting in a different way. Both Mayken and Gil are independent-minded and have a tendency to go their own way. Sometimes it serves them well, ofttimes it will serve them ill. You won't want to miss any of it.
Jess Kidd's mastery of the magical is intact and on display here. The raid of a wardrobe of clothing results in "a chorus of shoes". Freshly laundered duds dance together on the clothesline as they dry. Impressions of "ghostly buttocks" left in an old chair cushion. An ancient turtle, wise beyond its 900 years. The thought that roses trained to a trellis rather than growing freely are being tortured. A hag stone with prophetic properties, shrieking seabirds, swarms of eels, rats, and slippery men. The intricacies of karma. Think about what you do and what you don't do. Sometimes bad karma hurts someone else, because that way it will hurt you more.
Jess Kidd's mastery of the magical is intact and on display here. The raid of a wardrobe of clothing results in "a chorus of shoes". Freshly laundered duds dance together on the clothesline as they dry. Impressions of "ghostly buttocks" left in an old chair cushion. An ancient turtle, wise beyond its 900 years. The thought that roses trained to a trellis rather than growing freely are being tortured. A hag stone with prophetic properties, shrieking seabirds, swarms of eels, rats, and slippery men. The intricacies of karma. Think about what you do and what you don't do. Sometimes bad karma hurts someone else, because that way it will hurt you more.
January 24, 2023
Beautifully written but it's a slow burner.
It has two timelines, one in 1628 where we follow Mayken, a young girl who boards the ill-fated Batavia with her nursemaid, bound for the Dutch East Indies.
The second timeline, set in 1989, follows a young boy named Gil who has recently started living with his grandfather off the Australian coast after the death of his mother.
I'm unsure what the links were between these two timelines.
It's a historical fiction novel with supernatural elements and I thought there were too many characters and it's kind of repetitive.
I've never been much of a fan of historical fiction but thought I'd give this one a try and I'm glad I did, it had its moments!
It has two timelines, one in 1628 where we follow Mayken, a young girl who boards the ill-fated Batavia with her nursemaid, bound for the Dutch East Indies.
The second timeline, set in 1989, follows a young boy named Gil who has recently started living with his grandfather off the Australian coast after the death of his mother.
I'm unsure what the links were between these two timelines.
It's a historical fiction novel with supernatural elements and I thought there were too many characters and it's kind of repetitive.
I've never been much of a fan of historical fiction but thought I'd give this one a try and I'm glad I did, it had its moments!
August 28, 2022
It was 1629 when Mayken, having just lost her mother, departed on the Batavia with her nursemaid, Imke, bound for Batavia and Mayken's father. Seven months into the long, arduous and brutal journey, the Batavia was stuck on rocks and taking on water.
1989 saw Gil, alone after the death of his mother, taken to a small island off the coast of Western Australia to live with his grandfather Joss. The fishing community comprised of mostly men, with feuds between some, anger between others. Joss wasn't happy to see Gil and barely spoke to him in those first weeks. In his loneliness, Gil spoke to Silvia who told him a little about a shipwreck over three hundred years prior. The Batavia had recently been discovered on the seabed near an island called Batavia's Graveyard, and as Gil learned more about it, his interest grew...
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd is a fascinating account based on the true story of the Batavia and the horrors that followed the wrecking of the ship. The parallel journey of two children over three hundred years apart, and the author's note at the end describing what happened... Highly recommended.
1989 saw Gil, alone after the death of his mother, taken to a small island off the coast of Western Australia to live with his grandfather Joss. The fishing community comprised of mostly men, with feuds between some, anger between others. Joss wasn't happy to see Gil and barely spoke to him in those first weeks. In his loneliness, Gil spoke to Silvia who told him a little about a shipwreck over three hundred years prior. The Batavia had recently been discovered on the seabed near an island called Batavia's Graveyard, and as Gil learned more about it, his interest grew...
The Night Ship by Jess Kidd is a fascinating account based on the true story of the Batavia and the horrors that followed the wrecking of the ship. The parallel journey of two children over three hundred years apart, and the author's note at the end describing what happened... Highly recommended.
June 19, 2023
8.75/10
Before reading this book, I had never heard of the Batavia shipwreck of 1629 (it set sail from the Netherlands to modern-day Indonesia) and wrecked off the coast of Western Australia, which is considered one of the most infamous tales of maritime disaster in history, everyone was killed and murdered in brutal attacks.
How far can human cruelty reach? There are no limits to rage depths or even no matter what time in history it happened, not really!
This was a tragic and heartbreaking story. My heart is weak for such things. I just want to sit in a corner and cry. Read other reviews.
"Don't name them! Let them be wild and not something I have to learn about."
In 1629, a young girl called Mayken boarded the Batavia to reach his unseen father. During the long voyage, She is a little girl on the upper deck and a cabin boy on the lower deck named Obbe. She is a very kind, curious, and imaginative child who soon finds dark secrets above and monstrous creature below deck.
"There were words Mum said quietly and carefully because they were dangerous. Devil. Hangman. Tutankhamun. Cancer."
In 1989, a boy mourning the death of his beloved mother, called Gil, with a dark past, is placed in the care of his solitary grandfather on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast.
The scientists are there to dig trenches under our camp to find the Batavia that location was hard to locate from ancient records.
Yes, the two protagonists in the story, Mayken and Gil, are connected despite being three centuries apart. Sometimes Gil imagines he hears the voice of the dead Dutch girl in the wind. He knows such things as ghosts don't exist. Not if their bones are treated with respect!
It was a complete surprise to me, I did not expect such things at all. Unfairly extremely sad. I enjoy the author's writing style; the short chapter and the story narrated by two young children make it more bitter. I will definitely try other Jess Kidd books to torture myself.
Many thanks to Canongate via Netgalley for ARC, I have given my honest review.
Before reading this book, I had never heard of the Batavia shipwreck of 1629 (it set sail from the Netherlands to modern-day Indonesia) and wrecked off the coast of Western Australia, which is considered one of the most infamous tales of maritime disaster in history, everyone was killed and murdered in brutal attacks.
How far can human cruelty reach? There are no limits to rage depths or even no matter what time in history it happened, not really!
This was a tragic and heartbreaking story. My heart is weak for such things. I just want to sit in a corner and cry. Read other reviews.
"Don't name them! Let them be wild and not something I have to learn about."
In 1629, a young girl called Mayken boarded the Batavia to reach his unseen father. During the long voyage, She is a little girl on the upper deck and a cabin boy on the lower deck named Obbe. She is a very kind, curious, and imaginative child who soon finds dark secrets above and monstrous creature below deck.
"There were words Mum said quietly and carefully because they were dangerous. Devil. Hangman. Tutankhamun. Cancer."
In 1989, a boy mourning the death of his beloved mother, called Gil, with a dark past, is placed in the care of his solitary grandfather on a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast.
The scientists are there to dig trenches under our camp to find the Batavia that location was hard to locate from ancient records.
Yes, the two protagonists in the story, Mayken and Gil, are connected despite being three centuries apart. Sometimes Gil imagines he hears the voice of the dead Dutch girl in the wind. He knows such things as ghosts don't exist. Not if their bones are treated with respect!
It was a complete surprise to me, I did not expect such things at all. Unfairly extremely sad. I enjoy the author's writing style; the short chapter and the story narrated by two young children make it more bitter. I will definitely try other Jess Kidd books to torture myself.
Many thanks to Canongate via Netgalley for ARC, I have given my honest review.
July 16, 2022
Kidd has based her latest novel on the historical sinking of the BATAVIA off the west coast of Australia in 1629.
There are two narrative arcs both involving young protagonists, a young girl and boy. They have many similarities. Both are nine years of age; both have lost their mother, both believe there is a monster haunting them, and both may meet their end in the same geographical location though centuries apart.
In 1629 Mayken is sailing on the maiden voyage of the Batavia to meet a father she has never met. Mayken, a bit of a tomboy, cannot sit idly by on such a long voyage and starts to explore the ship venturing into areas she has been forbidden to go. Mayken meets numerous characters, some helpful, some not, and some downright dangerous. However, none are as dangerous as the monster that she believes is living on the bottom deck of the ship.
In 1989 Gil is living on the islands where the Batavia sunk. He has lost his mother and lives in the care of his reclusive grandfather. Everybody on the Island avoids his grandfather for reasons Kidd does not at first share with the reader. His grandfather, growing older, hopes that Gil will take over his fishing job. Gil has other plans and plots to escape the islands. There are a group of scientists working on the wreck of the Batavia and it’s interesting when they find detritus from Mayken’s story arc, centuries ago.
The narrative alternates between Mayken and Gil with chapters switching between the two. This structure works particularly well, especially towards the ending as both characters are facing life threatening dilemmas. Kidd shortens the chapters, which gives the impression of speed and ratchets up the tension, as both characters approach a climactic ending.
The cast of characters include many "real life" identities, and it is obvious that Kidd has done her research uncovering them.
With past books, Kidd has delivered stories dripping with magical realism. The sinking of the Batavia is such an interesting story, but with this fourth book, emphasis is placed on the two protagonists’ stories, and they drive the narrative. Although the element of magical realism is reduced, the book is still full of Kidd’s beautiful descriptive prose. With the horrible, cramped, filthy conditions of a seventeenth century Dutch ship, Kidd has a wonderful canvas to work with.
With "THE NIGHT SHIP" Kidd has weaved together two of my favourite genres and the result is another stellar book.
If the story of the Batavia interests you, I thoroughly recommend “BATAVIA” by Peter Fitzsimons. Meticulously researched and an immensely enjoyable read.
There are two narrative arcs both involving young protagonists, a young girl and boy. They have many similarities. Both are nine years of age; both have lost their mother, both believe there is a monster haunting them, and both may meet their end in the same geographical location though centuries apart.
In 1629 Mayken is sailing on the maiden voyage of the Batavia to meet a father she has never met. Mayken, a bit of a tomboy, cannot sit idly by on such a long voyage and starts to explore the ship venturing into areas she has been forbidden to go. Mayken meets numerous characters, some helpful, some not, and some downright dangerous. However, none are as dangerous as the monster that she believes is living on the bottom deck of the ship.
In 1989 Gil is living on the islands where the Batavia sunk. He has lost his mother and lives in the care of his reclusive grandfather. Everybody on the Island avoids his grandfather for reasons Kidd does not at first share with the reader. His grandfather, growing older, hopes that Gil will take over his fishing job. Gil has other plans and plots to escape the islands. There are a group of scientists working on the wreck of the Batavia and it’s interesting when they find detritus from Mayken’s story arc, centuries ago.
The narrative alternates between Mayken and Gil with chapters switching between the two. This structure works particularly well, especially towards the ending as both characters are facing life threatening dilemmas. Kidd shortens the chapters, which gives the impression of speed and ratchets up the tension, as both characters approach a climactic ending.
The cast of characters include many "real life" identities, and it is obvious that Kidd has done her research uncovering them.
With past books, Kidd has delivered stories dripping with magical realism. The sinking of the Batavia is such an interesting story, but with this fourth book, emphasis is placed on the two protagonists’ stories, and they drive the narrative. Although the element of magical realism is reduced, the book is still full of Kidd’s beautiful descriptive prose. With the horrible, cramped, filthy conditions of a seventeenth century Dutch ship, Kidd has a wonderful canvas to work with.
With "THE NIGHT SHIP" Kidd has weaved together two of my favourite genres and the result is another stellar book.
If the story of the Batavia interests you, I thoroughly recommend “BATAVIA” by Peter Fitzsimons. Meticulously researched and an immensely enjoyable read.
October 29, 2022
The Night Ship is a very sad book, beautifully written and filled with lore as told to and by Mayken, a young Dutch girl in 1629. After the death of her mother, Mayken travels to the Dutch East Indies on the ship Batavia, to be delivered to an affluent merchant father she has never met. Mayken is an innocent, precocious (weird) child with a very active imagination that mostly terrorizes her. Terrorized or no, Mayken is brave and fearless in her efforts to change her own fate and the fate of others. When stormy weather and an early mutinous action causes the ship to become separated from the security flotilla traveling close behind, the richly cargo laden Batavia ends up shipwrecked near the barren island, of Beacon, off the coast of (now) Australia. The marooned surviving crew and passengers scavenge what little water, food, and supplies that could be salvaged from the sinking Batavia. Whilst meager supplies dwindle, the already charged atmosphere worsens to a state of dog eat dog, or more accurately, a barbarous bloodbath and rape fest at the hands of the mutineers.
The Night Ship weaves back and forth in time, between Mayken’s journey and the ordeals she suffers in 1629, and the year 1989 when a recently orphaned teen, Gil, is delivered to Beacon Island into the care of Joss, a grandfather he has never met. Gil is a bit of a depressed and socially awkward (weird) teen. He was raised by a single mother who never had much time for her son, allowing (nay, encouraging ) him to grow up in whatever direction he chose. Unfortunately, lacking any direction, and frightened to be left alone, he made a few bad decisions emanating from his own insecurity, which led finally to tragic consequences. Some people do need structure and support in their lives, after all.
Joss has pissed off the chief honcho on the tiny fishing island. He is ignored by nearly every person in the community. Gil does not fit in and has no interest in becoming a decky on his grandfather’s boat. His interests lie more in the direction of modeling the contents of his deceased grandmother’s jewelry box and wardrobe, and, uncovering the history of the Batavia shipwreck of 1629 with the young passenger girl, Mayken, who has been said to haunt the island. The islanders’ discovery of his predilection to dress in his granny’s clothes and jewelry seals his fate as the island weirdo, triggering a series of violent bullying acts.
Outside of the coincidental similarities described above, and a few others, I felt more like I was reading two books and not one book with a Beacon Island thread between the two stories. I probably missed something. Both stories were good and work together and/or separately, in my opinion. The book is a fictionalized account based on the true historical events of the Batavia mutiny and shipwreck.
It was depressing to recognize that the natural behavior of humans is cruel and violent in the absence of law and order (unless Codified barbarism, as by the Nazis and other violent tyrannical regimes). This book made me feel like being trained from infancy to be kind, respectful, and generous is a lesson in survival, even if does make us akin to trained monkeys. Remove the training and we might all revert back to a natural ugly state of violent barbarism, as evidenced in this book.
I listened to a Penguin Random House Australia Audio and the narration was excellent. 3.5+
The Night Ship weaves back and forth in time, between Mayken’s journey and the ordeals she suffers in 1629, and the year 1989 when a recently orphaned teen, Gil, is delivered to Beacon Island into the care of Joss, a grandfather he has never met. Gil is a bit of a depressed and socially awkward (weird) teen. He was raised by a single mother who never had much time for her son, allowing (nay, encouraging ) him to grow up in whatever direction he chose. Unfortunately, lacking any direction, and frightened to be left alone, he made a few bad decisions emanating from his own insecurity, which led finally to tragic consequences. Some people do need structure and support in their lives, after all.
Joss has pissed off the chief honcho on the tiny fishing island. He is ignored by nearly every person in the community. Gil does not fit in and has no interest in becoming a decky on his grandfather’s boat. His interests lie more in the direction of modeling the contents of his deceased grandmother’s jewelry box and wardrobe, and, uncovering the history of the Batavia shipwreck of 1629 with the young passenger girl, Mayken, who has been said to haunt the island. The islanders’ discovery of his predilection to dress in his granny’s clothes and jewelry seals his fate as the island weirdo, triggering a series of violent bullying acts.
Outside of the coincidental similarities described above, and a few others, I felt more like I was reading two books and not one book with a Beacon Island thread between the two stories. I probably missed something. Both stories were good and work together and/or separately, in my opinion. The book is a fictionalized account based on the true historical events of the Batavia mutiny and shipwreck.
It was depressing to recognize that the natural behavior of humans is cruel and violent in the absence of law and order (unless Codified barbarism, as by the Nazis and other violent tyrannical regimes). This book made me feel like being trained from infancy to be kind, respectful, and generous is a lesson in survival, even if does make us akin to trained monkeys. Remove the training and we might all revert back to a natural ugly state of violent barbarism, as evidenced in this book.
I listened to a Penguin Random House Australia Audio and the narration was excellent. 3.5+
January 30, 2024
Catching up…
I have a complicated relationship with this author. I don’t always connect with her books. I know I want to, like so many reviewers here…
But…
For some reason, I am left wondering about what I had just read. This happened to me with her “Mr. Flood’s Last Resort,” Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And…
The quirkiness of “Himself,” Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And then…
I couldn’t even get into “Things in Jars.” The darkness of it disturbed me. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So…
Why read this one?
Well…
I have a complicated relationship with this author.
And…
So many reviewers here on Goodreads love her.
So…
Maybe this one will be different. (For me.)
This novel is based on one of the most famous shipwreck stories in Australian history which happened in 1629 to the Dutch trading ship Batavia.
As well as…
Taking readers to the late 1980’s on the remote Abrolhos islands where the Batavia (the one that was shipwrecked) had foundered.
With this story…
The author used her narrative to reveal the layers of history and story associated with a single location and the way events occurred through the years.
And…
She tells her story through a child’s view.
Once again…
The author shortens chapters towards the end.
And…
What I have come to recognize with Kidd, is that her stories cross genres, blending light and darkness, whimsy and mystery, the real and the supernatural.
Which…
May work well for lots of readers…
With me…
Even though I appreciate the extensive research Kidd did with this book, this fan of magical realism (me), isn’t connecting again to her stories. It is time for me to walk away.
So very sorry if I have disappointed you.
I have a complicated relationship with this author. I don’t always connect with her books. I know I want to, like so many reviewers here…
But…
For some reason, I am left wondering about what I had just read. This happened to me with her “Mr. Flood’s Last Resort,” Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And…
The quirkiness of “Himself,” Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
And then…
I couldn’t even get into “Things in Jars.” The darkness of it disturbed me. Review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
So…
Why read this one?
Well…
I have a complicated relationship with this author.
And…
So many reviewers here on Goodreads love her.
So…
Maybe this one will be different. (For me.)
This novel is based on one of the most famous shipwreck stories in Australian history which happened in 1629 to the Dutch trading ship Batavia.
As well as…
Taking readers to the late 1980’s on the remote Abrolhos islands where the Batavia (the one that was shipwrecked) had foundered.
With this story…
The author used her narrative to reveal the layers of history and story associated with a single location and the way events occurred through the years.
And…
She tells her story through a child’s view.
Once again…
The author shortens chapters towards the end.
And…
What I have come to recognize with Kidd, is that her stories cross genres, blending light and darkness, whimsy and mystery, the real and the supernatural.
Which…
May work well for lots of readers…
With me…
Even though I appreciate the extensive research Kidd did with this book, this fan of magical realism (me), isn’t connecting again to her stories. It is time for me to walk away.
So very sorry if I have disappointed you.
August 9, 2022
“Lying brings bad karma. Even a small lie can make something really bad happen and the karma will grow to match it.”
✮ ✮ ✮ 1/2
*** anything 3 star and above is still a positive review. I consider a three star review to be more of a positive-neutral review.
Jess Kidd based this book on the real life Batavia wreckage in 1629. I have never personally read about this historic event before but Jess Kidd portrays the pure barbaric behaviour and brutality surrounding the survivors of the shipwreck, and turned it into a truly moving work of fiction with factual accuracies.
The characters were incredibly written, especially Mayken, a child aboard the Batavia. The tale is told alternating between 1629 and 1989, but this is the part that baffles me. Maybe I didn’t quite understand the book properly, but I don’t understand how the fate of the children involved in the two different timelines were connected. Gil (the child in 1989) had an interest in the Batavia when he saw the divers, but he was living a completely different storyline, and that wasn’t his focus. But again, maybe that’s me just not quite gripping this storyline entirely.
The historical fiction storyline running in the 1600s was incredible and I could have read a whole book based solely around that. These chapters kept me intrigued, learning about the secrets of the ship was absolutely page-turning. And while I felt Gil’s tale also intriguing, to me they didn’t fit together, and they felt a little out of sync.
Overall, it was a really interesting book reading about the Batavia in fiction, but it just wasn’t for me. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Thank you to Canongate Books for gifting me a finished copy.
✮ ✮ ✮ 1/2
*** anything 3 star and above is still a positive review. I consider a three star review to be more of a positive-neutral review.
Jess Kidd based this book on the real life Batavia wreckage in 1629. I have never personally read about this historic event before but Jess Kidd portrays the pure barbaric behaviour and brutality surrounding the survivors of the shipwreck, and turned it into a truly moving work of fiction with factual accuracies.
The characters were incredibly written, especially Mayken, a child aboard the Batavia. The tale is told alternating between 1629 and 1989, but this is the part that baffles me. Maybe I didn’t quite understand the book properly, but I don’t understand how the fate of the children involved in the two different timelines were connected. Gil (the child in 1989) had an interest in the Batavia when he saw the divers, but he was living a completely different storyline, and that wasn’t his focus. But again, maybe that’s me just not quite gripping this storyline entirely.
The historical fiction storyline running in the 1600s was incredible and I could have read a whole book based solely around that. These chapters kept me intrigued, learning about the secrets of the ship was absolutely page-turning. And while I felt Gil’s tale also intriguing, to me they didn’t fit together, and they felt a little out of sync.
Overall, it was a really interesting book reading about the Batavia in fiction, but it just wasn’t for me. I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
Thank you to Canongate Books for gifting me a finished copy.
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